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MOTO2: ‘34’ Is Back
Kevin Schwantz comments on his trademark #34 being brought out of retirement for the American Honda Moto2 effort...
Chris Martin  |  Posted July 23, 2010   Monterey, CA
American Honda's Moriwaki MD600 Moto2 racer (Photo: Evan Williams)

PROGRAMMING NOTE: MotoGP qualifying from Laguna Seca will air on SPEED Saturday, July 24, and the race will air LIVE on SPEED on Sunday, July 25.

Kevin Schwantz stands as one of the most beloved Grand Prix racers of all time. The Texan was a childhood hero of many, inspiring future GP stars such as Valentino Rossi and Ben Spies, as well as future motorcycle racing journalists, like the author of this article.

Schwantz somehow managed to simultaneously play the role of overdog and underdog, his overwhelming natural talent balanced out by frequently overmatched equipment and an endearing, if frustrating, tendency to make costly mistakes while refusing to accept anything less than first place.

His enormous popularity resulted in the unprecedented decision by the FIM to retire his trademark '34' from Grand Prix competition -- a number which, either ironically, or fittingly, became Schwantz's trademark in large part due to the fact the he repeatedly came up short in his quest to win the #1 plate, a feat he finally accomplished for the one and only time in his career in 1993.

However, American Honda announced today at Laguna Seca that the #34 is coming out of retirement to be emblazoned on the Moriwaki MD600 that Roger Hayden will pilot at the Indy GP in an effort managed by Schwantz.

"It's great to see '34' back in a bike," Schwantz said. "Unfortunately it's not in the MotoGP class but it's still a great number here on a Moto2 bike… Hopefully we'll ultimately be able to get that result that we want at Indianapolis."
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